Self-esteem is best instilled by loving parents and older siblings starting at a very early age and can be strengthened by caring teachers. It is achieved by repeatedly recognizing a persons best qualities and what they are good at. Jay Taylor (Video Script pgs 49-50) happened to be very good at understanding computers and even had a little business go-ing where he helped other kids with their computers. Repeated recognition of this special ability might have strengthened Jay's self pride and self esteem and helped him to reject peer pressure to smoke. Adolescents who have high self esteem and self worth are more likely to value their own opinion and their health and are less likely to smoke.

A sense of individuality (i.e., not following group behavior when it could be bad for you) can also be instilled by parents, older siblings and caring teachers who reward this type of behavior at every opportunity and who serve as role models and/or point out role models with this quality. Jay Taylor greatly admired George Lucas who revolutionized special ef-fects in movies such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park. Mr. Lucas refused to follow what his peers in the film industry were doing because he felt that he could create special effects differently and better. He had a strong sense of individuality, followed his own mind rather than others and this served him well. Since George Lucas was Jay's hero, this example might have made sense to Jay, strengthened his own sense of individuality at a pivotal time and helped him to resist peer pressure to smoke.

Increasing Jay's knowledge and belief of the short and long term consequences of smoking and how commonly they occur (i.e., in 50%), increasing his awareness of the social pres-sures to smoke so that he knew to consciously resist them and improving his decision mak-ing ability might also have been helpful. Age specific Elementary, Middle and High School Programs can be particularly useful in these areas. Testimony from tobacco addicted teens who are struggling to quit smoking and from live patients with end stage smoking related diseases and/or presentation of graphically frank videos (such as ours) through a timely school program, may have been helpful in educating and motivating Jay to reject the use of tobacco. Decision making is enhanced by weighing the pros and cons of an important decision. If Jay had been taught to do this specifically with respect to smoking (e.g., through a school program) it may have been obvious to him that the short and long term consequences of smoking far outweigh any possible benefits.

A school and/or a community youth program which taught Jay graceful or "cool" ways to say "NO" to friends who pressured him to smoke might also have been helpful. For exam-ple, directly refusing the offer ("Nah, I just can't get into it guys" or "NO, I'm not suicidal", or simply saying "NO" I'm not interested") or giving an excuse ("No thanks, I'm in a rush, I have to leave now") or refusing and giving a good reason why ("No, it makes your breath stink" or "No, it hurts your lungs, I'm into sports" or "No, I just don't enjoy it") or ignoring the offer and changing the subject ("Hey, lets play ball") or avoiding the situation entirely (walking away before the situation arises). Although what you say is important, how you say it is equally important. To communicate to others effectively that you mean what you say, look them in the eye and in a clear confident voice, express yourself (e.g., "No, I don't smoke!").

Jay could have been encouraged to associate more with non-smokers. He also could have been exposed to peer pressure not to smoke. For example, he could have been shown